Pipe-cleaner.



J. H. GLEARWATER.

PIPE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1907.

902,803. Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 15 4? I BY.

41 AT RNEY5 TER,

JAMES H. cLEARwATEa or WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.

PIPE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Application filed fieptember e, 1907. Serial No. 391,925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that 1, JAMES H. OLEARWA- a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of West New York, county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Pipe-Cleaners, of which the following 1s a specification, reference being had to the acompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in pipe cleaners and comprises a resilient rod or stem provided with a suitable hand piece and a bit at the opposite end thereof, such bit being of peculiar conformation whereby it will most readily hold a cleaning material,

and, further, will properly guide itself along the bore of a curved pipe stem.

In order that my lnvention may be fully understood, I will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof, havin reference to the accompanying drawings il ustrating the same, and will then point out the novel features in a claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in partial side elevation and partial central longitudinal section of a pipe cleaner and shield therefor. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the pipe cleaner removed from the shield. Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views on an enlarged scale of the end of the device at which 1 such as spring steel,

the bit is'located. Fig: 5 is a view in elevation of the pipe cleaner, showing the same as being forced through section. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of a modified form of the device.

The pipe hand piece 11 and a bit 12. The stem 10 is preferably composed'of a flexible material so that it may bend readily to conform to the bore of a pipe having a curved stem, yet will return to its normal strai ht condition when removed therefrom. T e hand piece 11 may be of any convenient form, being shpwn in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 as a cylindrical knob, .while in Fig. 6 it is shown as a continuation of the stem 10, such continuation being bent around and twisted upon itself, as shown at 12*- in such figure. I In Figs. 1, 2 and 5 the hand piece is shown as provided with a reduced portion 13 which is screw threaded. Such screw-threaded portion is fitted to a corresponding internally screwthreaded portion 14: in the end cleaner comprises a stem 10, a I

\ the stem of a pipe, 1 the pipe being shown in central longitudinal of a shield or casing 15 designed to receive the stem and bit of the cleaner. The cleaner, thus protected by the shield or casing, may readily be carried in the pocket, and in Fig. 1 I have shown the said shield 15 as additionally provided wit a chuck 16 adapted to receive a lead 17, whereby the said shield or casing may also constitute a lead pencil holder.

The bit 12 comprises a portion thinner in one direction than the stem '10, as is shown in Fig. 4, and wider in the other direction, as is shown in Fig. 3. It is conveniently formed as an integral portion of the stem 10 by flattening the end. thereof. At'its extremity the edges of the widened portion are curved, as at 18, and at the end a recess 19 may be provided if desired.

In using the device a piece of thin tissue paper or fabric is wrapped around the bit 12, and the same is forced through the stem of the pipe in the manner shown inrFig. 5. attaching the fabric or paper on the end of the bit by a twist "in one direction, the same may be readily released by a twist in the opposite direction; thus, after the same has been forced through a pipe in the manner shown .in Fig. 5, clear into the bowl thereof, such piece of pa or or fabric may be released from the holder by such twist in the opposite direction, and the holder re moved, leaving the cleaning material in the bowl from which it may be later ejected. The peculiar shape of the bit-wider in one direction than the stem-causes it to readily hold the cleaning material, while the curved surfaces 18' not only prevent ,the cleaner from being forced right through the cleaning material while the device is being passed through the pipe stem, but also serve as guiding surfaces to. properly guide the cleaner along the bore of a curved pipe stem, as is shown in Fig. 5, preventing the cleaner from catching in the walls of the bore, as it might otherwise readily do. The recess 19 formed for the purpose of retaining a piece of string should it be desired to use a short piece of string as a cleaning material, string being a material which some smokers prefer to use for this purpose. In this case the string is looped over the end of the bit, being received in the recess 19, and is forced through the pipe stem in such manner as will be well understood. The device above described forms a very of other than straight stems.

simple iILQXPQ'D-SYVE and efficient pipe cleaner, having sutiicient rigidity to enable it to be forced through a pipe stein, yet being resilient enough to readily follow the curvature As before stated, the shield enables the device to be readily carried about in the pocket Without soiling or damaging the clothing and also Witheut there being any liability of the (le- 10 vice itself becoming damaged.

Vfhat I claim is: A. pipe cleaner comprising a hand piece,

l l l l a resilient stem, and a bit at the end of said stem adapted to receive and retain cleaning material, said bit formed as a continuation of the stem but thinner in one direction and Wider in the other than the said stein, said bit curved toward the extremity and provided with a recess at the extremity, substantially as set forth.

JAMES H. CLEARW-ATER. Witnesses D. How/um HAYWOOD,

(hms. Tl. STAAT. 

